In the News
Molecular testing for C. difficile leads to overdiagnosis, increased costs, study finds
Patients who had positive PCR tests for C. difficile but negative toxin immunoassays were unlikely to have C. difficile-related complications and deaths.
Physician-owned, non-physician-owned acute-care hospitals appear to provide similar care, study finds
Physician-owned hospitals were more likely to be small and urban, and their patients were younger and less likely to be admitted through the ED.
New recommendations on when and when not to use PICCs
The recommendations are based on 665 venous access scenarios, 253 of which (38%) were rated as appropriate, 124 (19%) as neutral/uncertain, and 288 (43%) as inappropriate.
Acinetobacter baumannii infections increasingly resistant to antibiotics
The highest prevalence of resistance was to doripenem (90.3%), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (55.3%). The lowest rate of resistance was to colistin at 5.3%.
September issue in print and online
The September issue of ACP Hospitalist is now available, with articles about rapid response, heart failure, patients' perspectives, and hospitalist fellowships.
Put words in our mouth
ACP Hospitalist Weekly wants readers to create captions for our new cartoon and help choose the winner. Pen the winning caption and win a $50 gift certificate good toward any ACP product, program, or service.